MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov will turn into the world’s strongest surface combatant after its upgrade, CEO of the Severnoye Design Bureau (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) Andrei Dyachkov told TASS on Thursday on the occasion of the company’s 75th anniversary.

"The high modernization potential integrated in these ships (Project 1144 and Project 1142) upon their designing helped carry out certain works and outfit the Admiral Nakhimov with the most advanced weapons, which makes it the world’s strongest surface combat ship," the chief executive said.

While new advanced "ships of the 21st century" have emerged, the Project 1144 and Project 11442 heavy nuclear-powered missile-carrying cruisers designed by the Severnoye Design Bureau that include, in particular, the Admiral Nakhimov are still a renowned brand and a symbol of both the design bureau and the Russian Navy, he stressed.

The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov has been under repairs at the Sevmash Shipyard since 1999. Real work on the warship has been carried out since 2013. The upgrade has substantially boosted the cruiser’s strike capabilities.

The Project 1144 ‘Orlan’ heavy nuclear-powered missile-carrying cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, which was known under the name of Kalinin before 1992, was laid down at the Baltic Shipyard on May 17, 1983. The warship was floated out on April 25, 1986 and it entered service with the Soviet Navy on December 30, 1988. The warship was named the Admiral Nakhimov on April 22, 1992.